The Devil's Docket
by Penthesileia
Summary: Kagome's newest client learns too late that puns never make good contractual clauses. If she has any hope of winning his case, she'll need a hand from a rival she never thought she'd meet again. Sequel to Ab Initio
1. Part One

_Present Day_

 _"In a world like thissssssss, where some back down, I, I, know we're gonna make it."_ Kagome cranked the air conditioning up, the cold air blowing her hair back. Her head nodded to the bass shaking her rear-view mirror, her eyes looking soulfully out the window. Why was she off lawyering when she could have been in music videos? _"In a world like thissssssssss."_

"Would you turn that racket off?" Gramps snapped, "It's so loud they'll know we're here before we even invite them."

Uh, no she couldn't 'turn down the racket' when she was still celebrating Kevin's return, four years and lots of tears later. Kagome just tipped her head back, _"IN A WORLD LIKE THIS!"_

"Jesus Christ," Her grandfather mumbled, "Maybe you're the possessed one."

"Maybe I'm the one driving." Kagome reminded, "And who was the one who instituted the 'driver's choice' rule?"

Gramps shook his head, "Lawyers." It was now his favorite insult.

The song trailed off as the Backstreet Boys promised to love even in a world like this, Kagome finally turning the volume down on an inferior One Direction single. (The one and only on her iTunes, damn Harry's golden vocals relaxing her normally rigid rule on only 90s boy bands…) The GPS was less than a mile now, even though Kagome could see nothing but trees on the lonely country road.

"We're all set for this one?" Kagome asked, "Nothing we have to go back for?"

Kagome could almost see her grandfather's eyeroll. He always got so grumpy after being treated to the golden era of synchronized dancing and perfectly layered falsettos. "I triple-checked back at the motel. I'm all set. What about you?"

"I've got everything I need," Kagome tapped her head, "All right up here." And the research Rin provided for her stuffed into her briefcase. But she didn't need the twitchy-face from her grandfather whenever she brought Rin up.

Gramps huffed, "It's a wonder you were able to survive the first one."

"Love you too, Gramps."

The tip of an elaborate, arched roof peeked out of the tree line as Kagome navigated the car around a bend in the road, the rest of the mansion appearing into view. Giant, impressive, and expensive, it looked like a cross between a Victorian and a palace.

Gramps only sighed. "This is never a good sign."

"You wouldn't say that if our last three mansion jobs hadn't ended in total clusterfucks."

"There's just something about rich folk that makes them particularly stupid." Gramps muttered, "We better insist on overtime pay."

"Deal."

The gates were already open, no guard in the mini hut, so Kagome drove right up the circle driveway, the grounds completely empty. "Are you finding it strange no one seems to be here?"

Her grandfather grunted. Man of few words, as always.

Kagome stopped the car just outside the door, two massive slabs of wood and curled iron as tall as two of her. She let N*Sync croon a moment longer as she made sure she was ready.

Prim business suit. Check.

Neat hair. Mostly check.

Killer heels. Check.

Briefcase. Check.

'Just in case' gun under her arm. Check.

"Let's get this over with." Her grandfather hopped out of the car before she turned the engine off, combing through the backseat.

Three containers of salt. Check.

Satchel of herbs. Check.

Three kinds of colored chalk. Check.

Three knives, tucked into his boot, jacket, and belt. Check.

One shotgun, slung behind his back. Check.

'Just in case' crucifix, holy water, and prayer beads. Check.

They were as ready as they would ever be.

"Do you ever wish I had just joined a normal law firm after I graduated?" Kagome asked, her heels clicking on the steps towards the front door.

"And miss out on telling you "I told you so" every opportunity I get?" Gramps pounded on the door, ignoring the perfectly good knocker inches from his hand. "Not a chance."

The only reason Kagome didn't roll her eyes was because it wasn't befitting of a professional, serious lawyer.

The door pulled back slightly, the loud creaking echoing off the walls. Gramps held one hand back to Kagome, easing her away. His other hovered over the butt of his gun. "Hello?"

"Sorry, this door is rather heavy." Another inch jerked back, "I might have to give the servants responsible for opening the door a raise."

Kagome exchanged a long look with her grandfather, "Would you like us to push back?"

"No, no. I've almost got it!" He grunted, "It's rather ridiculous to have a door I can't open myself, after all."

Gramps placed a hand on the wood and shoved.

"Oh! Here we go." The door opened wide enough for Gramps to slip in, careful to avoid knocking his rifle against the wood, "Please, come in."

No gunshots or screams echoed off the wood next, so Kagome assumed it was safe to follow her grandfather inside.

Of course, inside was gorgeous, ornamented and sophisticated. Wealth practically dripped from the ceiling to the floor. It would have been less subtle if they had just scrawled WE'RE REALLY SUPER RICH! across the walls.

It didn't match the young man who stood in front of her though. Where she expected her client to be covered in designer clothing, he wore off brand sweats and a plain white tee shirt. His dark hair was gathered up in a ratty hipster bun instead of a slick cut, and stubble was beginning to grow into a rather unattractive beard. Three gold hoops glinting on his ear was his only accessory, no watches or tech or jewelry that might give his status away otherwise.

She wasn't sure what fashion statement he was trying to make with the single black glove that covered his arm from elbow to fingertips.

He carefully held that arm away from his body, offering her his left hand, "Miroku Houshi. Thank you both so much for coming."

"Kagome Higurashi, this is my grandfather, Jiro Higurashi." Gramps gave him a sharp nod, lips drawn in an unhappy line. "What can we do for you, Mr. Houshi? You refused to say very much on the phone."

Miroku tugged on one of the hoops hanging from his ear, more like a nervous boy than the future heir to immense wealth. "Forgive me for my caution. I wanted to meet you before I fully explained. With my family who they are...you must understand my need for discretion."

Gramps didn't look very understanding, "Well, you've met us now."

Miroku's answering smile was faint, "Yes. Please, follow me. We should talk somewhere more comfortable then the foyer."

Kagome was suddenly very glad she had sprung for expensive shoes if he considered this a 'foyer'.

Gramps stayed at her back as they followed Miroku through his 'uncomfortable' foyer, the house silent around them. There wasn't even a hum from the electricity or AC.

Miroku kept his gloved hand stiff at his side, careful not to brush it against anything as he moved. It didn't even sway as he walked, he held it as far away from his body as was comfortable.

He gestured into a small sitting room, two small couches facing each other and a marble coffee table in between. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink? I would have had my staff put together something for you, but I've given them the day off."

That explained the silence, "Some water would be lovely, thank you." Lovely for the chance to talk about him behind his back.

Kagome waited a beat just to make sure he was well out of earshot, "Do you have a bad feeling about this job, Gramps?"

"More than one." Gramps studied the room, tapping on the hilt of his knife, "No staff around, he's funny about his arm, and he's dressed like a hobo. This might be a bad idea."

Kagome sighed, "It's almost six figures worth of a bad idea, though."

Gramps considered that for a moment, "Maybe it's not that bad of an idea."

"I hope bottled water is acceptable," Miroku sailed back into the room, carefully balancing a silver tray of Evian and glasses of ice on his right hand. The tray shook slightly, but he kept his left arm hidden behind his back. He dropped the tray on the coffee table with a clatter, shaking out his fingers. "There now. Is there anything else you need before we begin?"

Kagome took a bottle so his trip to the kitchen wouldn't be wasted, "No, thank you. Now, how can we help you Mr. Houshi?"

He sat on the couch across from them, rubbing his hand nervously across his sweats. "I need your help...renegotiating a contract I entered into with an individual."

"With a demon." Gramps was much more blunt, wanting to get to the point.

Miroku nodded once, "With a demon. I was desperate and I didn't understand what was happening."

Kagome hid a wince. Renegotiations were tricky. Even with her track record, there were only a handful of times she'd truly been successful in helping to arrange her client a better deal with no loss on their part. If she couldn't find a loophole in the original contract, there might not even be a point to this meeting. "Start from the beginning and don't leave any details out, no matter how outlandish or embarrassing."

He fiddled with the tie around his sweats, "I suppose it's clear to see my family is well-off."

Gramps snorted.

"Perhaps a little more than well-off," Miroku acknowledged. "As the only son, I'm expected to grow that wealth. In this current economy you can imagine how difficult that's been."

Oh, good. If this was only a wealth contract, he might have a chance. "How much did you ask for?"

He shook his head, "Oh no, nothing like that. We're still very comfortable. My father and the board are just disappointed with my work performance. They're concerned about leaving the company to me. So I decided to seek help, but I couldn't let Father know so I chose...unorthodox methods."

Damn it. This was starting to feel like a six figure bad idea. "And summoning a demon seemed smarter than just asking your father for a little more time?" Did she sound judgemental? She just couldn't believe someone with all the advantages in the world could still be so stupid.

Miroku glanced down, cheeks flushing. "I might have gotten a little drunk after returning from church with my grandfather. I didn't expect the ritual I found online to actually work."

This was getting worse and worse. This was definitely six figures worth of a bad idea, but damn if she wasn't going to earn those dollars. "Do you have that spell?"

He opened a small drawer on his side of the table, taking out two manilla folders, "I've printed it out for you."

Gramps reached for the folder he offered, slipping a pencil from his pocket while he silently read through it. She glanced over his shoulder.

 _How to Summon High Lord Naraku-King of Hell_

Miroku shrugged at her look, "I figured go big or go home, right?"

She barely bit back her groan. That saying belonged on the back of a tacky t-shirt from spring break, not as drunk rationale for summoning hell demons. "So obviously the ritual worked. Then what?"

"After I was done panicking…" He hesitated, looking down at his covered arm. "I asked for a hand helping run my family's business."

Gramps met her look, "Fucking hell."

Literally. Kagome closed her eyes, fighting for calm. Of all the times to use a stupid cliche... "And what was his price?"

Miroku tugged delicately at the glove's fingertips, slowly pulling the fabric down. Blue, black, and green mottled wounds covered the skin under his elbow, a rotting smell filling the air.

"I'll spare you the sight of the rest of my arm." Miroku slid the glove back into place, careful not to touch his decaying skin. "High Lord Naraku demanded a hand for a hand. I assumed he was just asking for a favor in turn. The next morning, I woke up with a blue thumb. The rot spread from there."

Gramps shuddered, "Did he fulfill his part of the bargain?"

Miroku's hand clenched into a fist. "My other arm has been acting independently from me. It's like another force has been guiding my pen, computer mouse, fingers. Our stock is up by five percent now."

He looked at his gloved hand. "But this dead hand is slowly killing me. The infection is spreading, and there's nothing any doctor has been able to do."

Demons are such assholes. And she needed to google skeletal diagrams. "Let me go over the contract. I have a few ideas for how to proceed, but I want to be sure Mr. Naraku didn't come up with any other ridiculous puns before we get started."

"About that," Miroku offered the other folder to her. "There's another reason I've called you aside from your excellent reputation."

And wasn't he lucky that that excellent reputation was well earned. But did he really need another reason? "Oh?"

"Once I was sober, I read the contract in full. Your name was mentioned three times." He nodded at the papers, "I've marked them with the post-its."

Her stomach dropped, and her grandfather went still next to her, "What?"

Miroku shrugged, "I was surprised too. I don't even remember discussing you that night, and yet, there's your name and contact info."

Kagome flipped the folder open, a neatly typed, white computer paper, typical twenty-first century legal document waiting for her. Some demons still preferred traditional scroll and blood ink contracts, and she wasn't sure what it said about Naraku that this looked like it could have come from any typical law firm.

Three yellow post-its marked the twenty page document, Kagome flipping to them immediately.

 _If Houshi, Miroku, becomes interested in renegotiating the terms of this agreement, he must enlist the services of Ms. Kagome Higurashi for any re-discussion of any future terms to be considered. All attempts to renegotiate otherwise will be denied._

"Remind me how much of a bad idea this is again," Gramps traced his knife's hilt, staring down at the contract.

He knew how much, and it was rude to discuss it in front of their client. She had to cling to every bit of professionalism she could, or she might run screaming from this ridiculous mansion. "Well, it's not like there's so many lawyers who deal exclusively with demons." And she would keep telling herself that, instead of wondering why the 'high king' of them was calling her out specifically.

The second, and last post-it was only a page behind.

 _Renegotiations must be agreed as fair by a third party mediator_

And in fine print, all the way at the bottom-

 _-Ms. Higurashi will not be allowed to use her virginity as a bargaining chip_

Fucking asshole demons. That was only once!

And still her cheeks burned at the memory.

Gramps jiggled his leg, hand clenching on his other knee. "I don't like this, Kagome."

Well, neither did she. "We may have to rediscuss the retainer, Mr. Houshi."

He nodded, too eagerly. "Whatever you want. I just hope you're still willing to help me." He finally touched his dying arm, "I'm afraid I don't have much of a chance without you."

Damn it. This was Rin all over again. There was no way she could say no and still be able to sleep tonight, no matter how much boyband music she played to drown out her guilty conscience.

He was just going to pay a lot more and she wasn't going to feel guilty about that.

"Do you have a space where my grandfather and I can prepare for our meeting with Mr. Naraku?" She needed to pour over the contract and come up with a plan of attack, and Gramps needed to come up with a plan in case they were attacked.

Miroku spread his arms, "You may use this room, or any part of the mansion for whatever you need. The staff can't serve you, but there's plenty of prepared food and guest rooms have already been readied."

This kind of place probably had a whirlpool tub somewhere. She was going to need that a lot. "Give us a few hours to go over all these documents, and we'll come up with a timetable for summoning Mr. Naraku."

He twisted one of the loops in his ears, staring at the floor, "About that...I would prefer this to be taken care of sooner rather than later. My family is away on business, and I would like this settled before they return."

Kagome's jaw practically ached, but she would not grit her teeth. "How soon?" And god help him if he said tomorrow.

"Two days."

She took a deep breath, "Mr. Houshi, I don't have an excellent reputation because I'm quick. I'm not sure what kind of aid I can provide you with only two days of work."

"I'll triple my original offer," Miroku quickly offered.

Kagome froze. That would easily pay off the rest of her school loans, her mother's house. She could buy the entire catalog of 90s boybands off iTunes.

Hell, she could probably afford just to have the Backstreet Boys show up at bedtime and sing her to sleep.

"Kagome-"

Kagome didn't let herself look at her grandfather. "And I'll be sure to offer you the best aid quickly. We'll take the case, ."

Relief made Miroku's face collapse, his shoulders relax. He looked like she had just taken away the gun pointing at his head. "Thank you so much, Ms. Higurashi. You're a lifesaver."

Kagome held up a hand, "Let me actually save it before you start thanking us. My grandfather and I will start working, and we'll have a plan for you to review by dinner time."

His good hand reached out, clutched hers tightly, "I wish I had another way to thank you."

The money was more than enough. "It's my pleasure. Give us a few hours now."

Miroku jumped up, shuffling away from the couch and towards the door immediately. "Of course. Call me whenever you're ready."

Her grandfather just barely waited for the door to close behind him. "Kagome Higurashi, I don't care anymore how much this bad idea is worth, this is still a _bad_ idea." He glared at the contract in her lap, "Why the hell is this demon referring to you specifically?"

Kagome straightened the papers, flipping back to the first page. She wanted one read-through first before she started making notes. "I don't know, but we're going to find out."

* * *

"I can't believe we can't find _anything_." Kagome slammed the packet down, papers scattering everywhere. She buried her fingers in her hair and pulled, staring at the mounds of books and documents surrounding them. "He's thought of every possible scenario, every loophole, every definition. The bastard even defined 'definition'."

She dropped her head back against the seat of the couch, her ass long since numb from the floor, but she liked sitting in a halo of paperwork. "Why call me out if he didn't give me anything to work with?"

Gramps frowned, crouching at one of the piles. "Maybe this is a test."

"Or a warning. He's using all my usual tricks against me." Kagome slumped forward, "This feels more like a taunt then a contract."

He poked at the papers, far more comfortable with his guns then the legal terms. "Go take a break. Maybe something with occur to you, or you'll just have to comb through this all again. Nobody's infallible, not even the king hell demon. He'll have forgotten something."

"Isn't a 'fall' what got demons into this mess?" Kagome muttered.

Gramps rolled his eyes, "Har har. Go take a walk."

Kagome sighed, pulling herself to her feet. Gramps was right, but she had something better in mind then a break. "Alright, I'll be back in a few."

He nodded, picking up a random paper to skim. He might not always understand the legal side of their business, but damn if he didn't try.

She left her heels off, her toes sinking into the plush carpeting in the hall. She wandered for a moment, looking at the art on the walls and the flowers covering every side table. It should have been lovely, but considering what was going on in this quiet mansion, it felt more spooky than attractive.

Far away now that Gramps couldn't hear her, she slipped her phone out of her pocket, calling the only person who might be able to help her now.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rin. Do you have anything for me yet?" Kagome leaned against the wall, keeping an eye on the door in case her grandfather wanted a break too.

Rin sighed over her keyboard tapping, "I haven't had much luck with the usual sites, so now I'm going through the discussion boards. I still have a lot of data to go through, but I haven't found anyone yet who's made a deal with him."

"For the 'High Lord of Hell' you'd think he'd have more of a presence." Kagome dropped her head back against the wall, looking towards the ceiling. "Maybe he's used a different name?"

"Maybe," but Rin sounded doubtful. "More likely it's been misspelled, and none of the variations I've tried have worked."

Kagome closed her eyes, "There has to be something we're missing." Rin could find info on anything. She wasn't sure what to do if she couldn't pull together a miracle for her.

"Well…" The tapping stopped, the sudden silence jarring. "Look I could be completely wrong about this. I probably shouldn't even bring it up."

"And now you have to. Out with it."

Her hesitation was telling, "When I went through the university archives I did find a few mentions of a High Lord, but all the records were over a hundred years old. Nothing any more recent than that."

Kagome nodded, like Rin could see her. "Like a predecessor?"

"I think so. I found a few accounts of deals he was involved in; a monk from France attempted to write up a hierarchy of the castes. ...and look, I'm not saying he was right about the family tree he wrote up, but it's consistent with some of the other things I've found-"

"Rin, get to the point." She couldn't listen to this all day.

Her chair squealed, like she needed to lean against her table. "It's my best guess that the High Lord before this Naraku was a demon named Inu no Taisho. And it looks like Inuyasha might be his son."

Kagome nearly dropped the phone, "What?"

"I shouldn't have said anything," Rin blurted out. "It's just that...this is all I have so far. I'm going to keep looking! But if this Naraku really did usurp his father, Lor... _Mr_. Inuyasha might be the best source of information on him we can find."

Kagome took a slow breath, trying to think over the racing of her heart. Naraku did demand a second demon's opinion of whatever deal she thought up. If Naraku really killed his father, Inuyasha could be a potential ally.

After he paid her back for their last consolation.

Her lips tingled, the traitors.

She checked the time. She'd already lost half a day, she couldn't afford to waste more time.

...she could at least broach the subject. She didn't have to take any of the deals he might offer.

She wasn't sure she had many other options.

She squeezed her eyes shut, "Email me the spell."

"Kagome…"

"I know, it's a terrible idea. But it's the only idea I've got right now."

"I'll get it to you right away," her voice was quiet.

"Thanks Rin." Kagome ended the call before Rin was tempted to talk her out of it. She'd add an extra zero to Rin's fee once this was all over to ease her own guilt.

But first, she had to talk Gramps into it.

* * *

"I don't like this, Kagome." Gramps traced out a circle in chalk, laying it on thick. Carpet was tricky because the dust needed to sink through the fibers. He drew out loops and designs to strengthen it, sprinkling herbs and salt every few inches.

"You haven't liked anything today yet." Kagome mumbled into her notebook, trying to look like she was writing serious notes and not doodling to calm her nerves.

Gramps shot her a look, his arm moving automatically. "I especially don't like this."

"You agreed this might be our best option!"

"I don't like this job, I don't like this house-" Gramps continued, pushing harder on the chalk, "-and I definitely don't like you getting Arai involved."

"Rin's the best researcher I know. We wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as we have without her aid."

Gramps humphed. "We might not even be here without her 'aid'."

"And instead, I'd be slaving away at some soulless law firm, and you'd still be working construction, freaking everyone out over your possession stories," Kagome snapped. "So lay off Rin for once."

Her grandfather kept drawing, scowling down at his work. Kagome bit her lip, already regarding her words. But she was so tired about her grandfather's attitude towards Rin. Yes, she was an idiot. But she had been an idiot in grief, and she'd been much better in the years since. Gramps needed to let go of this stupid grudge.

She took a breath. "How's the circle coming?"

"Almost done." Not that he sounded happy about it. "Give me a plan that won't make me regret this."

"We talk to the demon. If he's not willing to help us for a fair trade, we just send him back and come up with something else."

The chalk snapped in her grandfather's hand, "Because that fills me with confidence."

Kagome resisted stomping her foot like a child, "You're the demon expert! What else do demons want aside from souls, firstborns, and virginities?"

Gramps went silent, layering one of the loops with red chalk. He tossed a handful of salt down, sealing the circle. "Let's just get this over with."

He lit the candles around the circle and on the table, Kagome flipping through her emails until she found the latest from Rin. They left the electric lights on.

Gramps stood next to her, herbs in one hand, and shotgun in the other. Kagome took a deep breath. She wished she could have played a little boyband music for courage, but she'd just have to fake it. "Ready?"

Her grandfather just silently nodded.

No use in prolonging it. "I summon ye, Lord Inuyasha."

The air settled heavily over them, the lights flickering faster. Gramps tossed dill flakes into the circle.

"I summon ye, Lord Inuyasha."

A strange wind tugged at her hair, papers on the table rustling. Smoke curled up from the chalk lines, purple and thick. Hyssop was added next.

Her throat clenched. But she couldn't let herself stop now. "I summon ye, Lord Inuyasha."

Gramps threw mugwort into the center of the circle...and the floor dropped out, leaving a black void surrounded by smoke.

Slowly, a silver head emerged, dog ears twitching.

And Lord Inuyasha laughed.

* * *

I had the WORST time uploading this. I had to copy and paste a little bit, then save, then copy and paste some more, until the entire chapter was up. If anyone sees anything weird, will you let me know?


	2. Part Two

**I want to thank** **SplendentGoddess for helping me plot this out! (You can thank her too by checking out some of her stories and leaving reviews.)**

Also, I started a profile on AO3! My chapters tend to get posted there first now because I've had such a difficult time here.

* * *

 **Part Two**

There was something about this setup that felt faintly pornographic.

Hazy smoke curled towards the ceiling. A strange, new, black tattoo twisted across his shoulder down to his bicep. Oiled pecs slowly emerged from the fog, hard abs glistened in the candlelight. He wore billowy black harem pants that were carelessly tied around his hips, needing only one little tug for instant access. Her boybands would have felt sorely out of place as background music.

It felt like something she would have sneakily searched on Tumblr over private browsing.

But gifs had never included horns curling back from the fringe of his silver hair or black wings swirling smoke. And none ever had models with blindingly golden eyes fixed solely on her.

Her chest dropped. It was getting a little hard to catch her breath.

"Kagome Higurashi." He stepped to the very edge of the circle, close enough now he could reach out and touch her. Lips curled into a mockery of a grin that put fangs on display.

Kagome laced her fingers together, holding tight. "Mr. Inuyasha."

He looked around the room, "I almost didn't believe it when I heard _your_ summons. I thought I was going to have to manipulate some idiot into breaking the circle, but here we are." He spread his arms wide, "Together again."

Gramps cocked his shotgun.

Inuyasha's arms dropped. "But not alone. Will you _always_ insist on an audience?"

"This is my grandfather, Ji-"

"Jiro Higurashi." Inuyasha finished, "I've heard." He crossed his arms over his chest, evaluating both of them. "It's not just your name they curse in my realm."

Gramps huffed, looking the demon up and down. "I thought you'd be taller."

Inuyasha scowled, "Listen old man—"

"Mr. Inuyasha," Kagome snapped. She needed control if she had any hope of this going her way. "This isn't a social call."

Unholy delight shone in his eyes. He rubbed his hands together, practically cackling. "Oh, I've been waiting for this," his wings beat a little faster. "You can't even begin to guess what I've got planned for you, bit—" He choked, clutching his throat.

He spit on Miroku's fancy carpet. Little bubbles popped on the fabric, foam soaking into the fibers.

Kagome couldn't help but gloat a little. "I believe our deal was that you would clean up your dirty mouth." She'd never guessed it would be taken so literally.

He rubbed his lips with the back of his hand, not as cocky now. "What the hell do you want, _princess_?" Contempt dripped from every syllable. Looked like he didn't need a full vocabulary to still be mean.

Kagome took a moment to consider her words. Tell her heart to calm the hell down and stop racing. "I'd like to ask you something. If you can't answer, I'll send you back to your realm immediately."

Interest flared finally, "Answers will cost you."

Not if she could trick him into answering her statements. "I have no doubt you're going to milk this for every advantage, Mr. Inuyasha. But consider what I have to say before 'planning' too many ideas."

He crossed his arms again, "Oh, this I've gotta hear."

Kagome forced herself to breathe. "I've come to suspect you have a connection to a Mr. Naraku."

His wings froze in mid air and his shoulders tensed. "What the hell are you asking that for?"

"I believe that wasn't a question."

Inuyasha shook his head, "Oh no, lawyer witch." He didn't choke on soap. He must have meant it as some kind of twisted compliment. She was strangely flattered. "That's not how we're playing this time. Info's never free, even about that bastard."

But that in itself was a hint. He couldn't be too fond of his High Lord.

Kagome settled on the couch. Forced him to wait for her to cross her legs, settle her laced hands on her knee and not smirk at the way his gaze lingered. "So let me offer a little information myself as a sign of cooperation and good faith. I've recently taken on a client who's negotiated a contract with Mr. Naraku he's no longer satisfied with. I suspect you may not be so satisfied with Mr. Naraku yourself. I believe we can help each other."

"You want me to side with a human over a demon," Inuyasha summarized for her.

Kagome leaned forward, holding Inuyasha's glare. Goosebumps rippled down her arms, and they weren't entirely from nerves. "I want to side with you against the being that killed your father."

He stiffened, "How did you know about that?"

 _Did_. Past tense. So it happened.

Was that a flare of sympathy she was suddenly experiencing for the annoyingly dangerous (-ly attractive) demon?

"Not too many other ways High Lords get replaced." Gramps mused, "I doubt they discussed it over tea before your father politely stepped down."

Kagome looked at her grandfather. This wasn't the time to reveal how much demon lore he knew. "Oh, now you're interested in exchanging answers for free?" Kagome sat back, "Piece for piece, Mr. Inuyasha. I've given you the framework of our meeting today. Now, are you interested?"

He waited a moment, clearly reluctant. "Alright. You got me. I hate the bastard. If I could have gotten away with it, he'd be dead already."

"But something's keeping you from it?"

He growled, "Fuck it. Let's play it the human way. Yes, I hate Naraku. Yes, I want revenge. But I'm never going to get it. He's too powerful, and you have nothing that'll help me. So sorry, but your gamble failed. What you want, there's only one way to do it. Favor for favor."

Her lips hummed, "I can't—"

He smirked. "Oh, we'll get there. But even your body alone isn't worth going up against Naraku."

Her grandfather dropped his gun from Inuyasha's head to just below the waist.

Inuyasha didn't even flinch. "I do this favor for you now, you'll owe me one in the future. Whatever I want, when I want it."

"This is completely unacceptable—"

He waved his fingers, and a contract plopped down onto her knees. A pen rolled down the page, nudging at her fingertips. "Do you have a choice? No other demon you summon will be as nice as me. I want you kept in one piece. No guarantees on the others."

Kagome held up a hand, "You are not rushing me, Mr. Inuyasha. Especially since I suspect you've given me a ridiculous contract."

"You might get to take your time, but does your client have any?" He preened under her glare. "Naraku is not quiet about defeating his enemies."

"What?" Kagome asked before she could stop herself.

Inuyasha puckered his lips, "I'll trade you a kiss for every insult and taunt Naraku has uttered against you since springing his trap."

She suddenly wasn't interested in knowing. Her lips just needed to get with the program. "Nevermind. Let me read-"

The _Jeopardy_ theme song started playing, Inuyasha nodding along. "How much more of Miroku's time are you willing to waste?"

Kagome froze, "You know about my client's contract already?"

Inuyasha only blew her a kiss.

Kagome stood up, tucking the contract under her arm. "Gramps, watch him. I'm going out to the hall."

Her grandfather nodded once, attention fixed on the demon.

The music softened to a bearable hum behind the door, Kagome leaning against the wall as she quickly scanned Inuyasha's contract. Because damn him, he was right and she didn't have a lot of time or options. But she was still going to try to make as few stupid mistakes as possible.

She tapped her heel, flipping pages. Inuyasha had gone out of his way to be as vague as he could and hadn't defined exactly what he expected of her. Did he really think she was so panicked that she was going to sign this?

Kagome rolled her eyes, pushing up from the wall. Inuyasha was getting lazy if he thought nagging her into signing that awful contract would work. She was almost disappointed.

She grabbed the door handle, "Mr. Inuyasha, there is no way—"

—Inuyasha's hands were braced on the doorway as he stared down at her, face smug.

And well outside the circle.

Kagome jerked back from the door, nearly tripping in her heels, "Gramps!"

"Don't worry, he's sleeping it off," Inuyasha leaned a shoulder against the doorway, crossing his arms. "I was tired of always having an audience with you."

Her brain was screaming at her feet to move, but she couldn't leave her grandfather. And Inuyasha still hadn't stepped outside the doorway even when she'd been close enough to snatch by the throat.

A line of salt and ash glowed softly on the floor, Inuyasha's smirk turning into a scowl at the barrier. "I wouldn't have wasted all my effort to get out of the circle if I'd known he'd sealed the entire room."

God bless that stubborn, paranoid geezer. She was never going to make fun of his demon booby traps ever again. "Where is he?"

Inuyasha huffed, stepping back slightly so his wings were out of her view. Gramps 'slept' in a corner, gun still across his lap. "He's fine. I just needed you alone."

She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin. "Well, you got what you wanted."

His gaze drifted down her body, "Not yet."

Her fingers were starting to itch for that gun under her arm. "Is there a point to this Mr. Inuyasha, or are you just wasting time by sexually harassing me?"

All teasing interest left his eyes, "I want to make a real deal with you."

She held up the contract, "So you knew I wouldn't sign this."

"'Course not. You're smart...dumb as hell to play with demons, but smart." He flicked his fingers and the contract disappeared. "I just needed to put on a show to whoever was listening in."

"Listening in? You think Miroku has us bugged?"

He shook his head once, "From the circle. Naraku started having you watched as soon as you became a threat."

She went cold. "He's been watching me?"

"When he can. There's not much he can do when you're in the human world. But when you've summoned a demon?" Inuyasha shrugged. "He can mirror the circle in our realm. You have your own research counsel that studies everything about you from how you speak, to how many times you blink."

Kagome blinked. She couldn't help it.

"Twice, by the way."

"What?"

"That's how many times you blink when you're annoyed." He leaned towards her as close as he could within the barrier, holding her eyes. "So believe me when I say you have no chance out of his contract. He's studied your usual tricks, and has come up with three ways to block them each."

Kagome pulled on her jacket, trying to hide her trembling hands. "So this is a trap."

Inuyasha didn't answer what wasn't a question. "You've been on his shit list a long time. If you were smart, you'd turn this job down and retire."

"I doubt that would keep me safe for long." And would be no help to Miroku.

Inuyasha was right. She was dumb as hell to be in this business. The money was a big part of it, but she just couldn't leave people like Rin and Miroku to drown if she thought she could reach out and help them.

"It would make it harder for Naraku to find you," Inuyasha countered. "You'd live longer then if you go through with this."

Kagome crossed her own arms, tilting her head at Inuyasha, "Why the warning? I doubt this is out of the goodness of your heart."

He rolled his eyes, "Of course it's not. I want to make sure you stay alive so I can pay you back for that little stunt you pulled."

Strangely enough, she believed that. "So why the show in the circle if you want me to leave this job?"

"Because I already know you won't leave, but I wanted to be able to say I told you so later."

Screw professionalism. "You are the most annoying being I have ever met."

"Considering that one job you had with Kouga, I'm flattered."

She had to get control of the situation again. "So is it safe to assume we no longer have an audience with you out of the circle?" She should try to figure out how he did that. Later.

"Just you and me now."

"Then let's discuss your need for such a private meeting." She tapped her chin, thinking a moment. "And why admit to hating your leader if you knew someone was listening in?"

"The fucker already knows I hate him. It would be suspicious if I downplayed it. He heard what he really wanted to hear. That I have no way of rebelling."

"But you do want to rebel," Kagome guessed.

"Fuck yes. He killed my father. I want to roast him alive and dance around the embers."

Relief nearly sent her to the ground. "Then you do have a way of getting revenge." They would have something to trade, or he could just kill Naraku before he could fulfill Miroku's contract, and this whole impossible case would be solved without any death on her part and she was so happy she could kiss the annoying demon right now—

"No."

"...what?"

"That wasn't a lie. Naraku is too powerful. I can't touch him."

She deflated. Like he'd just poked a hole in her happy balloon. "Then what the hell is the point of talking to you right now?"

"That was rude. I think my feelings might be hurt."

Damn it, she did blink twice when she was annoyed. "Right now, I think I would sell my soul just to strangle you…"

"Tempting. But maybe another day. I had a different sort of deal in mind." He waved his hand, and a new contract appeared at her feet in a puff of smoke. "This is my offer Kagome Higurashi. I help you with this case. You help me in return. That's the only deal I'll make with you."

She crossed her arms, unmoved. She nudged her toe away just to make sure she wasn't touching the paper. "That sounds like another favor for a favor deal. You know you have to be more specific than that. I will never be desperate enough to agree to something foolish or that goes against my own code."

"Of course not. My task is right up your little moral alley." He met her eyes, utterly serious in a way she hadn't seen since Rin. "I want you to help me free my brother."

Kagome blinked once. She doubted Inuyasha needed much intel to know what that meant. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "I haven't explained it to you yet."

She kept her middle finger tucked firmly in her fist.

"After Naraku killed my father, he trapped my brother and muzzled me to keep us in line with the new regime. No demon can free him, but I bet a lawyer witch could get the job done."

Kagome shook her head, clearing her train of thought. "I'm sorry, I just assumed your 'favor' would have something to do with Naraku." Especially since Rin hadn't said anything about a brother in the family tree.

"I don't need your help killing Naraku. I need my brother. And then," A cold grin bared his fangs, "Me and Sess can do that ourselves."

She anchored her hands to her hips, looking down at the seal while she thought. It wasn't a bad trade. Life for a life. She just needed to be careful negotiating it. "So how exactly does a 'lawyer witch' help you free a demon that's been trapped for some 300 years."

"500," Inuyasha corrected.

"500," Kagome acknowledged with a nod, trying not to feel faint. "I'm flattered at where you think my talents lie, but I don't know how to organize a prison break."

"I don't know either."

Kagome bit back a scream. "You don't know how you want me to complete _your_ favor?"

"Naraku's been careful to keep Sess from me. I haven't had enough reason to risk looking for him yet. But if I've got you on retainer? I can get started on digging."

How lovely. She was going to grind her teeth down from frustration. "How do you expect to sign that contract without all the information? This isn't legal Mad Libs, you can't fill in the blanks later."

She froze at his blank look, "Holy Christ. You were going to fill the blanks in later."

He shrugged.

Of all the demons she had to ally herself with… "Fine. Here's how we'll do this then. We'll break our goals down into smaller, specific agreements instead of one vague deal."

He raised an eyebrow, "Like you promising me your virginity and just pecking me on the lips?"

Ok, that was more than a peck, asshole. He was such a sore loser. "Like you trading Rin's parents for an unspecified IOU."

He didn't even look ashamed. "How specific are we talking?"

"Until I'm comfortable agreeing."

He groaned like a child, "You'll be old and disgusting by the time you're comfortable."

This was taking care of any lingering urge to kiss him. "That's my final offer. Take it or leave it. You need me just as much as I need you."

Inuyasha rubbed his chin, pacing a little in the doorway. She'd never seen him take more than a moment to react. At least he was taking this seriously.

"How do I know you'll help me with my brother after I've helped you with your client?" Inuyasha finally asked. "I need you to vow to do everything in your power to free him, even if I don't have enough 'specifics' for you."

That was a huge promise. It offered too many loopholes, too many chances for Inuyasha to take advantage of her later. "Give me something small I can do for you. Like research. Once you've helped me save my client, I'll vow to arrange more formal terms for you. This will be easier once we have more reasons to trust each other."

He snorted. "I know better than to ever trust you, princess."

"And yet here we are in the middle of a secret meeting discussing rescuing your brother from his brutal, all-powerful jailer." Kagome spread out her arms. "I'm not thrilled about this arrangement either. I shouldn't even be considering working with a demon. But both of us have few options."

Inuyasha's lip curled, exposing one fang. His claws dug into the doorframe. He even had pretty fingers, the asshole. "I can't tell you outright what Naraku is planning. I won't risk the blowback if Naraku figures out it was me who tipped you off. But I'll give you enough information to figure it out yourself."

Kagome nodded. She didn't like it, but that was fair. He'd be no good to her if he got killed off. "Confirm if I'm right as well."

"Yes lawyer witch." He growled, "You're such a fucking tight ass about all these details…"

Kagome beamed. That was probably the nicest thing he'd ever said to her. "And in return?"

"Do your research. My brother's name is Sesshomaru. I want to see all the human documents that you can find that mention him."

Kagome tapped out a quick text to Rin. "Done. I'll even give you the information in black ink."

He didn't seem to notice the subtle jab. "Want a contract drawn up?" Inuyasha was waving his hands as he spoke as he already knew her answer.

He'd politely kept it to two pages. It was clear, precise, and specific. Kagome felt no concern scrawling her signature under his, tucking the contract under her arm. "So what's safe to share about Miroku and Naraku?"

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, like he was suddenly nervous about no longer being alone. "Look, Naraku has had plenty of opportunities to screw you over with other humans. You're not hurting for work. You need to consider why this human. It's not just timing. He's taking the chance to fuck you over at the same time he's conducting business in the human realm. Take a much harder look at Miroku."

Kagome tilted her head. "So this isn't just about me? He wants something from Miroku too, and he's being particularly efficient."

Inuyasha looked her in the eye. So she was on the right track.

"But how is that supposed to help me renegotiate his contract?"

"I've already given you too much. If you can't figure it out, I take back calling you smart."

He was so lucky he was stuck behind the spell's barrier. "Do we have anything further to discuss, Mr. Inuyasha?"

He pushed himself up from the doorway, the sheer mass of him filling the doorway. Her breath hitched at how close his abs were to her fingers. They itched to reach out. "We can discuss how you're going to make up that last visit to me."

Kagome tucked the pen behind her ear. She was not going there with him. "Then I think we're good. I'll summon you again when I have a plan and information about your brother."

But he didn't budge. "You know, you didn't specify that I would have to leave immediately after our deal was struck."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Already, she was forgetting details.

Tentative partnership or not, _she could not trust him._

She folded the contract neatly, needing something to do with her hands. "Why would you want to hang around? I can't complete my side of the bargain with you hovering."

His arm extended lazily over his head, elbow propping against the wood. "Maybe I want to watch you work. Make sure I'm getting your best."

Irritation flashed. "If that research counsel did their job, you'd know I always do my best."

His eyes drifted back to her lips, "Maybe I need to see the evidence firsthand…"

Kagome held up a hand, stopping him right there. "If we're going to be partners, we need to be professional, Mr. Inuyasha."

"I thought I was being very professional. I knew you'd want business out of the way so I could talk about what I really want." He braced his hands on the doorway, muscles flexing as he leaned in as close as he could to her. He smirked at her glance. "You. Want more specifics?"

She _refused_ to blush. If she could keep all the blood from rushing to her cheeks from sheer mental will, she would. "Again, Mr. Inuyasha. This is inappropriate. It won't help either of us to get tangled in a complicated sexual relationship."

"We could get tangled in something else-"

"No." Kagome was not going there with him. No matter how they could tangle their hair, or their legs, or their- "This is something I have to insist on."

He studied her for a long, silent, moment. She almost bit her lip, but she wasn't sure if her 'research counsel' had anything to say about that.

"Let's make a bet."

Kagome blinked. Couldn't help it. "Excuse me?"

"Let's make a bet." Inuyasha repeated calmly.

"I'm not agreeing to any changes to our current contract—"

"Wagers for demons aren't like contracts, lawyer witch. Contracts are for business. Bets are—" his gaze drifted back over her, "—for fun."

She did not want to know. She did not want to know. She did not— "What are you proposing?"

Damn it. She was an idiot.

She could almost feel his breath on her cheek, "You'll be the first one to fall. I guarantee it."

Kagome rolled her eyes. She deserved it at this point. "That would never happen. I can control myself. You though?" She slowly looked him up and down. She tried to make it nasty but damn it, her attention got stuck on his abs. "You're too impulsive. Too needy. And too fascinated by me. You won't be able to help yourself."

His mouth dropped. If their agreement hadn't been in place, he probably would have been cursing her out. " _I'm_ fascinated by _you_?"

I can already tell you're nursing a little crush."

"Demons do not get _crushes_." He spat the word like it was one of the curses he couldn't utter.

"And yet you can barely keep your eyes off me."

His eyes snapped off her lips, "You're the one who can't keep your eyes off my chest."

"I recently read men with big muscles are compensating for something. Just wondering if it's true."

"Fuck y—" Inuyasha doubled over, choking on soap.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, glaring. "After I win, I get two nights with you in the demon realm."

"Nice try, but I'm not playing. There's nothing I want from you."

Inuyasha held out his hand. A large book dropped out of the air, stained and aged. "Demonic legal code. If you're so sure of your self control, you'll get to keep it. Forever"

Kagome stilled, eyes focusing on the green scaled book Inuyasha held carelessly. Four years in, and she still had so many questions about demonic law and order. If she actually knew the rules to the game she was playing?

It was worth the non-risk of being trapped in Inuyasha's world for two days. She knew herself. No matter how attractive, intriguing or infuriating Inuyasha was, she was getting that book.

And at the end of the day, he was a demon. She was a human. Forget how her eyes lingered or her lips hummed, there was nothing for them.

"State your terms exactly."

"You manage to resist me for...a year. The book is yours."

"Three months." Kagome countered.

"Six months."

"Fine. What makes me lose?"

"Sex. Penetrative sex." Inuyasha tacked on quickly.

Kagome tilted her head, "Penetrative with what and where?"

Was he blushing a little? "My penis in your vagina."

"And if it's your heart that gets bigger instead?" Fuck, she needed to be more specific than that. He wasn't the Grinch. "If you can resist feeling romantic urges for me, I get the entire law library, not just that one book." No way was that all of it.

He lifted his chin. "Deal."

Huh. It was weird he wasn't going to add his own romantic side clause or time limit onto his. Whatever, she wasn't going to point it out.

"Agreed." Just to be contrary.

Inuyasha finally stepped back from the door. "Send me home now?"

Kagome eyed the space between the barrier and the circle. Inuyasha didn't seem to be in a rush to get back in the circle. And she refused to be stupid enough to be within touching distance of him. "Are you going to get ready?"

He gestured in front of him, "Don't humans let women come before men?"

Ladies first. Cute. "I need to talk to Miroku. I think Gramps can see you home when he wakes up—oh, never mind."

Gramps shoved past Inuyasha, something dark smeared on his hand. When he touched fingertips to bare chest?

Inuyasha went flying across the room. Straight into a painting on the wall, bringing it down on top of him.

"Pretty as a picture, Mr. Inuyasha." Kagome called out as he struggled to get out of the frame, the ruined canvas flapping around him.

"YOU GODDAMNED—"

Gramps shut the door. "Asshole. Do we need him for anything, or can I kill him?"

"Not yet. Maybe later."

Gramps looked a little happier at the thought.

The wooden door bucked, like something large had been thrown against it.

"But I think we've got a lead. Let's go talk to Miroku before Inuyasha tries to bring the house down."

Naraku had been forcing Miroku's hand. Kagome needed to find out what he had been doing with it.


End file.
